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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: roll · present · staff · saw · race · safe

  1. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. staff — employees
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. race — the arms race
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. saw — the tool
  8. race — a contest
  9. roll — a cake
  10. roll — a list
  11. staff — a stick
  12. present — the time now
  13. saw — the tool
  14. race — humankind
  15. staff — employees
  16. present — there
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. roll — on a roll

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com